Nagani arrived a couple of months ago, but has been in the reptile room while her new enclosure on the Exotic Animals Boardwalk was completed.

Regular visitors have watched the progress as the water feature, rocks and plants were installed. Looks great!

Shifting to her new quarters was a team effort.  At 4 metres in length, and weighing a whopping 23 kilos, it requires 3 or 4 rangers to handle her.

This magnificent python is now permanently on display, directly opposite the American alligators.

Did you Know? Burmese pythons are an invasive pest in the Florida Everglades, where they are decimating native wildlife—and they are large enough to consume an adult ‘gator!

Apart from being a stunningly beautiful reptile, Nagani is here to help educate visitors on the havoc posed by invasive species throughout the world.   Come and see her soon!

The job includes:

-Time in the kitchen preparing light meals sold in our Blinky Bill’s Café. Food Handlers Certificate required

– Greeting visitors; selling tickets, souvenirs, food and beverages

-Shift work during weekdays, weekends, school holidays, and public holidays. Daytime only—we can work around school hours!

– Training provided before the next school holidays

You will need to provide your own transport as there is no public transport.

If this sounds like you, please drop your resume into the Shop, or email expression of interest/resume to gm@billabongsanctuary.com.au

We look forward to meeting you!

Luka was born to Ruby just 18 months ago. Ranger Ash named her Luka in honour of her father, big daddy Maluka.

Maluka is no longer with us, so Luka was the last of his offspring.

Rangers remember Luka as a gentle soul:  very inquisitive and alert, always eager to interact with rangers. She was recently starting to meet visitors during Junior Rangers and for photo sessions.

Sadly, she contracted a cryptococcus infection. In consultation with numerous specialist vets, Rangers did everything they could but were unable to save her. Management sends particular thanks to Rangers Maddie, Boen and Alex for their devoted care.

Rest in Peace, beautiful girl. You touched all of our hearts.

Ivy and Banksie have been living the good life behind the scenes for a while, but we decided it was time to share them with visitors.

They have joined Wendell and Dorothy in the eclectus parrot aviary, near the swimming pool.

Ivy is a scaly-breasted lorikeet, aptly named for the pattern of green and yellow feathers on her breast. Scalies are common in timbered areas all along the coast of Queensland. A favourite food is the nectar from paperbark flowers.

Banksie is a purple-phase rainbow lorikeet. This colour variation is a result of targeted breeding by hobbyists. Noisy flocks of rainbow lorikeets are also a common sight all along the east coast of Queensland.

Newly arrived from the Sydney Dingo Rescue, they are still settling in, exploring all the sights and smells of their new home.

This is all so interesting and new for them—be aware that they are still unsettled and probably a bit nervous. You are welcome to stop by and visit, but please be quiet, don’t crowd the fence and don’t expect them to come running up to greet you.

Dingoes are amazingly intelligent, resilient native animals, yet they suffer persecution in most parts of their range.

Starting today, there will be a brief Dingo Experience talk at 1:45 pm at the newly refurbished enclosure. Join us on the other side of the moat to learn a bit about this misunderstood Australian native.

An expert herpetologist, Nick joined us in 2022. He had just completed ten years of extensive research on snake venom, culminating in a PhD thesis focussed on the venom of African pit vipers!

He welcomed the opportunity to work with our crocodiles here at Billabong Sanctuary and was soon presenting thrilling feeding shows.

Of course Nick was a regular presenter of the Venomous Snake Show, highlighting the vital role of these predators in the wild, and explaining how we can all stay safe in snake country.

One of his many projects was to expand and diversify our reptile collection, bringing in new specimens such as the rare Pilbara rock monitor.

His work here has always had a focus on education and he has been popular with schools and other tour groups.

Nick has always been passionate about conservation, and now has the opportunity take on a wider role in the community as a wildlife operations officer with DESI.

We wish him all the best.

We’ll be featuring a WILD Treasure Hunt to keep young animal lovers challenged during the morning.

There are two dates open at the moment: Tuesday June 25^th for ages 5-8 and Thursday June 27th for ages 9-12  Places fill fast, so make your booking soon!

The cost is only $80 per child, which includes exclusive ranger-led adventures, morning tea, and the coveted Junior Ranger t-shirt.

To make your booking, just ring our Front of House team on 47 788 344 with your payment details.

Sorry: Because of the popularity of this programme, NO refunds after booking.

Ash worked with mammals and birds at Australian Reptile Park before joining us two years ago.  She has dedicated herself to improving enrichment and husbandry standards for our furry critters.

She has even taken on the happy task of hand-raising macropods including Indie, the lovely red kangaroo joey.

When not caring for mammals, Ash completed the training to handle snakes for the Venomous Snake Show and even to feed our big male estuarine crocodiles.

We will miss Ash for her wisdom, her hard work and her genuine love of Australian native animals.

We wish you all the best, Ranger Ash! Happy Trails

Here at Billabong Sanctuary we’re going to shine a spotlight all week on our own handsome Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo, Dave.

You are invited to a special ranger talk at Dave’s enclosure every day this week at 11:45 am and 2:00 pm. We’ll also be handing out some activity sheets for kids at the front counter.

Please join us to learn all about tree kangaroos and their important role in maintaining the health of tropical rainforests.